Improved hobse-shoe nail machine



c. n. WRIGHTINGTON. Horseshoe-Nail Machine.

Patented Sept. 10,'1-1867.

@atten tetes stent @fitta CHARLES l). WRIGHTVINGTON. OF FARHAVEN, ANDBENJAMIN P. RIDER, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 68,824, dated September 10, 1867.

IMPROVED HORSE-SHOE NAIL MACHINE.

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Be it known that we, CHARLES D. Wnronrlneron, of Fairhaven, in thecounty of Bristol, and BENJAMIN P. RIDER, of Chelsea, in the county ofSuffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulimprovement in Machines for Making Horse-Shoe Nails, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 represents an elevation of our machine, with a part ofthe bed-plate and steam-cylinders removed to show the gearing foroperating the hammers.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the machine.

Similar letters indicate'like parts in the several figures.

The object of our invention is to produce a simple, eiciennand rapidlyoperating machine forV making horse-shoe nails; and theinvcntionconsists in connecting the hammers to the pistons of steam-cylinders, sothat they shall be operated directly by the action of steam introducedinto the said cylinders, and the alternating movements of the hammersand pistons shall 'oe etected'by means of segmental or circular gearsengaging in toothed racks attached to or forming a. part ofthe pistons,or hy equivalent .devices in connection with steam-power, so that as twoof the' opposing hammers are forced-towards each other, by the directaction of the steam, the other two opposing hammers will besimultaneously retracted by means of gears operated by the forwardmotion of thc first-named hammers without the direct agency of thesteam.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the 'ccd-plate or support forthe operative parts, properly mounted on a frame, B. The bed-plate A ismade ofa somewhat concave-convex or dish form, with an opening in thecentre, and to its inner or coneavelside are attached foursteam-cylindcrs C, at equal distances apart,- and so arranged that thehammers attached to the pistons opposite each other shall come togetheralternately in the central opening. The cylinders C are provided withproper induction and eduction pcrtsvor steam-passages, to and from whichthe steam is admitted and discharged hy means of valves, which may beoperated in any suitable manner in connection with the steam-power. D l)D D represent the hammers, which may be attached to 0r form a part ofthe pistons of thc steam-cylinders, and to each piston or hammer in therear of the bed-plate is attached a rack, d. These racksare providedwith teeth on each side, which are made to engage with circular orsegmental gearsE turning on centres or axes H, attached to the bed-plateA, so thatpas two opposite hammers are approaching each other, the othertwo hammers will at the same time correspondingly recede from cachother, and thus the motions of the two opposing hammers will certainlyand continuously alternate with the other two opposing hammers. Thecylinders and hammers being attached to the concave side of the bedsplate A, are caused to incline inwardly towards the centre or .openingof the said bed-plate, the eifect ofwhich is to impart a. drawing forceto the blow of the hammers, and thus tend `to more rapidly reduce therod from which the nail is formed to the proper size. The faces of theopposing hammers being parallel with cach other they will be at an anglewith the axial line of the hammers. The hammers are driven forward bythe force "of the steam whichv enters the proper induction port, and atthe end of the throw of the piston the cduction valve will be opened,two opposing hammers being thus simultaneously operated. At the momentof contact of the two opposing hammers with an intervening object theforce of the steam ceases to act, and is immediately transferred to theother two opposing hammers, which are operated. in the same manner, theforward motion of each pair acting, through the medium of the racks andsegmental gears, to retract the other opposing pair. Instead of racksand gears above described for imparting an alternate reciprocatingmotion to the hammers, other equivalent means may be adopted, such as asystem of levers, &c. y

By means of the direct action of the steam-hammers the machine may besimply constructed, which enables it to be driven at a high rate ofspeed, and consequently perform more work in a. given time than acomplicated machine, or suoli us are in general use; The direct actionof the hammers, by their necessary accuracy, also insures greatuniformity in the manufacture and finish oi" the nail.

The simplicity of the machine necessarily involves but a small amount ofwear and consequent repairs, and the machine is enabled to be veryreadily and easily started or stopped, when desirable The hammers orpistons may be constructed of great strength, so as to act withefficiency, and with little liability to injury.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is 1. We claim the combination of the fourhammers D D, attached to or forming a part of the pistons of steaml ,l

ossei 2 cylinders, with thegears E arranged substantially as described,whereby the forward motion of the two opposing hammers D D, actuated bythe direct action of' the steam, will operate to retract the opposinghammers D. D', substantially as described.

2. We claim the arrangement of the hammers D D on the inclined vsides ofthe bed-piate A,Aus and f'cr the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we have signed ourvnames to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS.` Il). WRIGHTINGTON, BENJAMIN P. RIDER.

Witnesses:

J. H. ADAMS, DAVID KELLEIIEB.

